Your third trimester: managing discomfort and staying active as your bump grows
Nicola Tik
The third trimester is when your bump is at its largest and your body is working hardest to support it. Staying active is still very much possible and worthwhile, but what that looks like will shift as you move through these final weeks. This article covers the structural changes of the third trimester and practical ways to keep moving comfortably.
By the third trimester, your centre of gravity has shifted significantly forward. The lumbar spine is under more load than at any other point in pregnancy, and the muscles of the lower back, hips, and pelvis are working continuously to keep you upright and stable. Rib expansion to accommodate your growing uterus can also affect how the thoracic spine moves and how comfortable deep breathing feels during activity.
Relaxin levels remain high, meaning the joints of the pelvis and hips are still more mobile than usual. For some people this is manageable. For others, activities like walking, turning in bed, or moving from sitting to standing may come with a noticeable ache around the front or back of the pelvis. Keeping movements smaller and more supported tends to help.
Intensity matters less than consistency in the third trimester. Shorter, more regular bouts of activity are often more comfortable than longer sessions, and are just as beneficial. Walking, swimming, and gentle strengthening are all well suited to this stage.
Movements that involve the lower body working in a symmetrical, supported way tend to feel most comfortable now. Wall squats, seated leg raises, and side-lying hip exercises are good examples. Movements that involve wide leg positions or single-leg loading may become less comfortable as the pelvis carries more load, and it is worth adjusting rather than pushing through.
The everyday habits that affect your lower back matter as much as your exercise routine at this stage. Getting up from a chair by rolling to one side rather than sitting straight up, carrying bags close to your body and avoiding one-sided loading, and using a pillow between your knees when sleeping on your side all reduce unnecessary strain.
If you are still working or spending long periods at a desk, regular standing breaks and a supported lower back position become increasingly important as your bump grows. Every hour or so, a short walk or a few minutes of gentle movement makes a real difference to how your back and hips feel by the end of the day.
VIDA has pregnancy-friendly exercises designed for the third trimester that you can follow at your own pace. They focus on the areas that benefit most from gentle support at this stage.
It is completely normal for activity to feel harder in the final weeks. Breathlessness, pelvic pressure, and general heaviness are all your body communicating the significant work it is doing. Scaling back is not a step backwards. Working within what feels comfortable, resting when you need to, and keeping movement gentle and supported is exactly the right approach.